In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Stephen Reed, then 48, of Rope Walk Court, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was sent back to prison after “vilely” amassing nearly 180 indecent images of children. Reed, a convicted rapist, appeared at court following a “serious” investigation that uncovered a “vicious” network of communication between himself and another registered sex offender.
The investigation by West Mercia Police began on 31 January 2019, when officers intercepted “vile” messages between Reed and a man from North Yorkshire. The prosecution reported that the two men were engaged in “explicit communications” regarding girls as young as eight years old. Reed “callously” received and downloaded images sent from Yorkshire to his mobile phone at his town centre home.
“Vicious” Breaches and Category A Images
At the time of his arrest, Reed was on licence, having been released in April 2017 from a “serious” twelve-and-a-half-year sentence. That previous sentence, handed down in Exeter, Devon, was for the rape of a girl under 16, indecent assault, and gross indecency against a child from Barnstaple, Devon.
Despite his “serious” history, Reed “dishonestly” viewed and then deleted the “vile” images in an attempt to hide his tracks. However, forensic experts seized the device and found:
- 63 images in Category A (the most “vicious” and “vile” classification).
- 26 images in Category B.
- 90 images in Category C.
Return to Prison and Indefinite Monitoring
Judge Peter Barrie emphasised the “serious” nature of Reed’s re-offending while on licence. He sentenced Reed to 12 months in prison for the new offences, to run alongside his existing term, which was set to expire in 2022. The judge also emphasised that the public must be protected from Reed’s “vile” behaviour indefinitely.
As a result of his conviction for making indecent images of children, Stephen Reed was:
- Subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
- Ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register.
Reed is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by West Mercia Police, ensuring his digital behaviour and activities in Shrewsbury and the wider Shropshire area are under “serious” lifelong scrutiny. Any future “vile” communication or “dishonest” attempt to access prohibited material will result in his immediate arrest and return to custody.
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